BREAKING FILM NEWS

Saturday, January 06, 2018

"The Walking Dead" - A Wake Up Call

Further to the accidental death of stunt performer John Bernecker, on the Senoia, Georgia set of "The Walking Dead" July 12, 2017, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a division of the US Department of Labor, has imposed a fine on Stalwart Films LLC, the company that produces the show:

"This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for the entertainment industry", said OSHA. "The entire industry needs to commit to safety practices for actors and stunt people involved in this type of work".

"...Bernecker, a seasoned stunt performer in more than 60 films including the upcoming 'Black Panther', died two days after suffering head injuries in a fall of more than 20 feet from a balcony to a concrete floor while rehearsing a fight scene with an actor. An airbag had been placed below him, but he missed it, striking his head on the ground..."

"This was a tragic and terrible accident", said Stalwart Films. "We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously on all of our sets and comply with – and frequently exceed – industry safety standards. We disagree with the issuance of this citation and are considering our response..."